For this newsletter I searched for women from all over the world who achieved remarkable results from the raw food lifestyle and asked them to share their secrets. Here are excerpts from the interview with Angela Stokes.

To see Angela's before and after pictures visit http://www.beautifulonraw.com/html/transformation.html

What brought you to this lifestyle? How long have you been on it?
Before I began my raw lifestyle 3½ years ago, in May 2002, I was morbidly obese, weighing nearly 300lbs (21stone/133kg). My health was suffering on every level and I was unhappy, though I tried to keep up an outward appearance of contentment. I was very secretive - I would not discuss my weight or overeating with anyone and was not interested in dieting or exercise. I just wanted to eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I also had an under active thyroid, which had been the initial trigger for my weight gain at the age of 11 and for which I took thyroxin medication daily. I ate enormous amounts of fatty, sugary, oily, greasy foods like cakes, chocolate and crisps (potato chips) and my body, understandably, was in a very poor condition. It took a medical shock of realising I might have diabetes, in 2001, to jolt me into starting to take better care of my body, but I did not really know how and did not really want to stop eating all the foods I was addicted to. However, when a friend lent me 'The Raw Family' book by the Boutenkos one night in May 2002, my whole life changed direction. Suddenly I felt like I had the answer to my health issues in my hands - I read the whole book in one night and it made total sense to me - I felt like this was the exact thing I'd been waiting for and actually went 100% raw overnight, which was quite a drastic move for someone on such a junk-food diet...

What changes in appearance have you noticed since going on the raw food diet?
My appearance has changed dramatically over the last three and a half years. I have lost more than half my initial body weight from my 5'7'' frame, going from 294lbs to 138lbs and a UK dress size 28-30 to size 10. During the first year I lost about 105lbs of excess fat, and in the beginning especially, it seemed I could almost see the fat burning off - the changes were so amazing. I remember seeing my collar bone again for the first time in years, then realizing my bracelets were getting too big for my wrists and then the revelation that I, too, had rib bones - I could actually feel them down my side...

My skin and hair gained new radiance - my hair became shinier and stronger and the acne I had lived with since the age of about 10 began to clear. My eyes too have slowly become more alive and striking in appearance as my journey with living foods has unfolded.

My posture has become more natural as my body has begun to move in a more fluid way again, without the restrictions of a heavily over-burdened structure. Daily yoga in the form of the 5 Tibetan Rites helps me to slowly re-awaken a body that was stuck for so long. My confidence has also been boosted terrifically by the changes I have experienced in my appearance - I feel very blessed to have undergone such a transformation and am very happy now about the way I look. Whereas once no-one would even look at me on the street, people now often make eye contact or even look twice ;).

Do you feel that you look your very best? If yes, how does if affect your self-esteem and confidence? If not, what do you think is preventing you from being the Most Beautiful You?
I am pleased with my appearance and feel like I look very good right now, if not my 'very best'. My self-esteem and confidence have benefited tremendously from the physical transformation I have experienced with a raw lifestyle. I used to be very secretive, scared of genuine contact with others and full of negative thoughts. My self worth was very low and I was always comparing myself to others. Now I feel extremely blessed and positive about life and take a lot more care of myself. I think more green juice and less fruit would probably help me become 'the most beautiful me' - my body responds very well to the pure, cleansing effects of green juices, but as I travel a lot, I don't always find it easy to get as much green juice as I'd like and it's easier to just grab a piece of fruit.

Do you have any special beauty secrets you would like to share?
For anyone who has issues with acne, or would like to rejuvenate their facial skin, I find bentonite clay a fantastic clarifying mask to use on the face. I buy the powder loose in a natural pharmacy and then just mix a little up with pure water when I need it - spread it on the skin and leave for about 10 minutes, or until dry, then rinse off. It is an amazing treatment for drawing out toxins and I find it leaves my skin so smooth and clean it actually seems to sparkle. Powerful stuff.

I also highly recommend dry skin brushing daily before bathing. There are so many benefits of this simple treatment - from clearing cellulite, helping circulation, shifting dead layers of skin and aiding the flow of your lymph, to giving your muscles a good work out. Invest in a good quality hard bristle brush and try to give your skin a daily work-out, from the feet upwards, avoiding sensitive areas. Your skin will glow with appreciation.

What is your attitude towards cosmetics? If you do wear make-up, what are your favorites (brands, etc.)?
Before going raw, I used many chemical cosmetics and products on my body. As I was so large, I found it hard to buy many clothes I really liked, so I often used make-up and nail varnish instead to express my individuality. My nails were constantly covered with brightly colored nail varnish, so they never received any contact with light or air and were actually yellow under the varnish. I painted my face daily with thick concealer, blue or green lipstick, silver eyeshadow and so on - I felt like it was important to try to cover up the blemishes on my face and to try to 'enhance' my appearance, somehow.

These days I no longer use make-up. For fun sometimes on special occasions I may use something like lipstick as part of a costume or something, but I do not feel the need or desire now to use such things on a daily basis. I do not want to clog my pores with chemicals anymore and I feel my natural beauty is abundant enough without trying to 'enhance' it in some way. I am sure there are some very good natural ranges of make-up available these days, but I do not feel drawn to regularly use them.

How would you describe your style?  Has your choice of make-up, clothes, hairstyle, etc. changed because of the raw food lifestyle and the changes it brought about in your appearance?
I suppose I would describe my style as 'uniquely me'. I perceive it as a bit bohemian, but stylish and mainly just in resonance with whom I really am. I do not try to follow any fashions in particular, but try to choose mostly 'timeless' items that really appeal to me. Since beginning a raw lifestyle, I have moved decidedly towards more natural fabrics and articles in my life - I am slowly phasing unnatural fibers out of my wardrobe and opting for threads like cotton and hemp instead. I see clothes and accessories from a very different perspective now and look for things that seem well-made, with a lot of love, consciousness and attention to detail. The clothes in discount shops made from artificial materials in sweat houses thousands of miles away seem so unappealing to me now. The major change for me though in terms of style has simply been the range of choice of clothing that has become available to me compared to before, when I could only fit into 'outsize' clothes. This change has enabled me to become more and more focused on which styles I actually genuinely love, rather than just using whatever I can find.

Please share your favorite raw food recipe, the one you consider your trademark and always make for special occasions.
I like simple recipes, especially those that re-use ingredients that might otherwise be wasted. I love this recipe for carob fudge because it is so easy, makes use of the pulp leftover from making nut/seed milk and is a real crowd pleaser:

Carob Fudge Squares

2 measures carob powder

1 measure almond pulp (or other nut/seed pulp leftover from making milk)

1 measure coconut fat/oil/creamed block coconut

½ tsp vanilla (powder or liquid)

Handful dried apricots, soaked

Handful sultanas

Flesh of one Satsuma

Blend all ingredients in a mixer until smooth, spread out in a flat dish and refrigerate so that the coconut fat hardens the mixture to a fudge-like consistency. Cut into squares and decorate with pine nuts or some other small nut/seed/fruit pieces if desired.

Angela has recently released her first inspiring e-book, entitled
'Raw Reform: How to go Raw for Weight Loss', available from www.rawreform.com
It is packed with essential guidance on going raw for healthy weight loss.